Lakers: How To Bet On The Lake Show Despite Oddsmakers' Confidence In The Nets

LA is a massive underdog tonight.

Your 23-27 Los Angeles Lakers will be missing their two All-Stars, LeBron James and Anthony Davis (though AD's candidacy for a 2023 All-Star reserve slot is complicated by his frequent injury absences) tonight against the 30-19 Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center, in the first game of a back-to-back New York set. Brooklyn will be missing its best player, Kevin Durant, and will probably also be without one of its other priciest players, Ben Simmons.

So what do we should we bet on tonight?

Per Action Network, an excellent gambling odds aggregator, here are some interesting odds and lines ahead of tonight.

The Game Spread

Los Angeles is currently a nine-point underdog to win this evening. The team will be without at least its top two scorers this season, with its fourth-highest scorer, Lonnie Walker IV, also not a sure thing due to his left knee tendinitis. Look for the Nets to cover.

Russell Westbrook's Combined Points, Rebounds And Assists

The Sixth Man of the Year candidate could step up tonight with two of the team's primary other ball handlers absent. He is expected to nab 36.5 combined points, rebounds, and assists. Across 47 games this season, the 34-year-old Long Beach native is averaging 15.8 points (on less-than-ideal .418/.282/.667 shooting splits), 7.5 assists, and 6.3 boards per night, which would total out to (if rounded up) a grand total of 30. Take the over, and cross your fingers he does indeed increase his output.

Patrick Beverley's Total Made Three-Pointers

This might seem like a fairly random stat, but Pat Bev has quietly improved his long-range production after an absolutely miserable start to the 2022-23 season. His over/under for made triples tonight is 1.5. For the year, he is now averaging 3.6 triple tries a night and knocking down 34.7% of those attempts (i.e. 1.2 makes). Since missing time due to a non-coronavirus illness earlier this month, Beverley has been taking 5.1 threes a game and converting them at a 38.9% rate (i.e. two made treys a night). A bet on him making the over is also, more broadly, a bet on LA stepping up its jump shooting tonight, with some of its best paint players out. Take the over.